An Open Letter to a Young Man

I am writing to you as your pastor to first congratulate you and to assure you of my prayers during this challenging, yet exciting time in your life. You will soon graduate from High school which means you will soon need to make some decisions about your life.

Graduation from high school opens the first of many doors of decision and planning for your life commitment. There are a number of opportunities you are probably already considering and you may also still be thinking about future possibilities. Again, this can be a challenging time but also an exciting moment.

I am writing to ask you to think about the possibility of serving the Church as a priest. I realize that a number of forces in our society often emphasize the idea of success, materialism, owning a nice home, or possessing the right things. The pursuit of these things is not necessarily something you should not consider however there is more to life than the accumulation of material goods.

When I was thinking about the priesthood at your age I was confused about what other people might think of me or if I would ever been seen as a successful person. I can tell you that the priesthood has brought me wonderful experiences in life and a great sense of satisfaction and challenge. You have reached that stage in high school where decisions will soon have to be made about your future. As your parish priest, I am writing you to ask that you simply keep in the back of your mind the possibility of the priesthood.

There are essential questions that people must ask themselves: Where can I be effective in life? Where am I going to be happy in this life? And, what is God asking me to do with my life? Priesthood is one way that brings satisfaction for both the priest himself but also to the community.

If you would ever want to speak with me about priesthood and how this ministry has been a great experience of joy please feel free to call me. In the meantime, be assured of my prayer for you as both you and your family think about the future.